Stop the TGWI ditching strike

Scan page 19

Stan Crooke explains why the Carousel strikers in Glasgow face a grave danger from their own union leaders.

1984 opened with the West of scotland IGWU bureaucracy all set to ditch the 5½ month old dispute at Carousel Wafers (Glasgow) for union recognition, reinstatement and better working conditions.

The officials attitude of indifference to the strike has now degenerated into one of opposition to its continuation. At one recent TGWU meeting, the Scottish Regional Organiser, Willy Queen went even further by claiming that the strike should never have been started in the first place since it was impossible to win.

A number of local TGWU branches have already passed resolutions in response to the Carousel strikers appeal TGWU convened West of Scotland stewards conference, but the resolutions have been ignored by TGWU full-timer and well-known Communist Party member Hugh Wyper, who shares the view that the strikers cannot win.

On the day following the mass picket at the end of last year (which the TGWU officials failed to support) Wyper invited the strikers to meet him sometime in the New Year. The odds are that Wyper will attempt to get them to call off the strike at this meeting.

If that fails, then the TGWU Scottish Regional Committee on 23/24 January will withdraw official support from the dispute in an attempt to end it.

The crucial task now, therefore, is to prevent the Scottish Regional Committec withdrawing support from the strikers.

The strikers support tee is drawing up a documentary history of the dispute, arguing the case for continuing support. Thi is to be circulated to lay delegate: before the Regional Committer meets. A lobby of the meeting ha: also been proposed.

Such work is only hampere by the apolitical antics of the Socialist Workers Party who argue that the strike has already beer. lost and to pressurise the Regionai Committee to pay the fines.

Their alternative is a series of lectures on the perfidy of union officials.

All possible pressure must be brought to bear in the next week and a half to persuade the TGWU to continue backing the strikers. Ways of doing this include:

*Passing resolutions demanding the Regional Committee reaffirm support for the strike.

*Lobying local lay delegates to the Regional Committee.

*Continuing to demand a West of Scotland shop stewards' conference.

*Supporting a lobby of the Regional Committee meeting.

*Getting local convenors and shop stewards ete to put their names to the document being prepared by the strikers.

Campaign for Gay onshire Promenade, Lenton, Nottingham NG7 2DS. £5 for individuals, or for affiliated organisations, per 1000 members; £2 low-waged individuals, £1 unwaged.

----- pull-quotes -----

Rights To join or affiliate, write to Chris Richardson, 21 Det-